“His Fortune, Madam, is not Equal to Yours”. The Perceptions of Marriage across Social Divides and the Experience of Contemporaries in three London Parishes from 1743 to 1763
Unequal marriages were roundly condemned in early eighteenth-century newspapers, magazines and commentaries. Wide differences in social status, finance or age raised eyebrows and could even be regarded as scandalous. But how common was marriage across social divides and how was it measured and perceived by contemporaries? With a focus on the lower social levels as well as the well-recorded aristocracy, this paper contributes to the debate about the prevalence of social mobility in marriage by analysing marriages across three London parishes. Statistics generated from a database populated with information from multiple sources provide evidence of social mobility in marriage and how this was impacted by the Clandestine Marriages Act of 1753. Clandestine marriage and religion are discussed in addition to print culture factors that influenced the behaviour of people across the social spectrum at the point of marriage.
All welcome.This event is free to attend, but advance registration is required.
This will be a ‘hybrid’ seminar with a limited number of places available in person and a larger number of bookings for online attendance via Zoom. Those attending in person are asked to bring a Wi-Fi enabled laptop, tablet or phone.
The session will start at the slightly later time of 17:30.
This page was last updated on 30 June 2024
